Henri Matisse's Le Bonheur De Vivre
In the early twentieth century, the Salons in Paris dominated the art scene. As places of gathering for intellectuals that wanted to come see and critique what was new in the art sphere. In 1903, a group of artists that weren’t satisfied with the conservative Salon system started their own - the Salon d’Automne exhibition. Among these artists that rebelled was Henri Matisse, a French artist that was not afraid to use bold bright colors in his art. His work from this era is described as “fauve”, a term meaning wild beasts in French that critic Louis Vauxcelles in reaction to the vibrant colors and harsh brushstrokes.
Henri Matisse’s Le Bonheur de Vivre (The Joy of Life) although not a part of the Salon d’Automne, was completed shortly after …show more content…
Matisse himself said “The chief aim of color should be to serve expression as well as possible.” From the lightest lilac to the navy outlines and red backgrounds, nothing about the color in this painting is realistic. He shaded the nonnaturalistic palette of fauvism with dark colors like green and deep reds.
The title itself – The Joy of Life – infers that the individuals are just enjoying life and celebrating it. Matisse believed that regardless of attributes, the human form was something beautiful that should be celebrated as it is here. Through the forms and the landscape, he is trying to show the beauty in everything and the importance of embracing it. “What I am after, above all, is expression...the whole arrangement of my picture is expressive,” said Matisse in 1908.
Le Bonheur de Vivre now sits on the second level of the Barnes Collection’s new location. In a side room off of the second floor balcony, it sits on its own wall framed by two Picasso tapestries that are subtle enough that they do not interfere with the experience meant to be felt when looking at this piece of art. I had read so much about Barnes before and studied him and this piece especially in my Modern Art seminar last year. Seeing it for the first time in person the other day was such an exciting experience. Standing in front of it had such a different effect than just viewing it on a projector. As one of my favorite paintings, it had an overwhelming effect at first, due to its sheer size and bright
Henri Matisse’s Le Bonheur de Vivre (The Joy of Life) although not a part of the Salon d’Automne, was completed shortly after …show more content…
Matisse himself said “The chief aim of color should be to serve expression as well as possible.” From the lightest lilac to the navy outlines and red backgrounds, nothing about the color in this painting is realistic. He shaded the nonnaturalistic palette of fauvism with dark colors like green and deep reds.
The title itself – The Joy of Life – infers that the individuals are just enjoying life and celebrating it. Matisse believed that regardless of attributes, the human form was something beautiful that should be celebrated as it is here. Through the forms and the landscape, he is trying to show the beauty in everything and the importance of embracing it. “What I am after, above all, is expression...the whole arrangement of my picture is expressive,” said Matisse in 1908.
Le Bonheur de Vivre now sits on the second level of the Barnes Collection’s new location. In a side room off of the second floor balcony, it sits on its own wall framed by two Picasso tapestries that are subtle enough that they do not interfere with the experience meant to be felt when looking at this piece of art. I had read so much about Barnes before and studied him and this piece especially in my Modern Art seminar last year. Seeing it for the first time in person the other day was such an exciting experience. Standing in front of it had such a different effect than just viewing it on a projector. As one of my favorite paintings, it had an overwhelming effect at first, due to its sheer size and bright